It’s hard to get excited about mowing, pulling weeds, fertilizing, watering, or anything else involving lawn care on your day off. Aren’t weekends supposed to be about resting and having fun?
Lawn care is especially hard when the weather gets hot and muggy and you have a large lawn to mow. There’s also the allergy issue to deal with. Fun times, eh?
You could always push the easy button and hire someone to take care of your lawn for you, but that can get expensive in a hurry. Have you checked on prices for lawn maintenance lately?
Such is life when you’re a homeowner, right?
Not necessarily. Did you know there is a type of grass you can plant that grows so slowly that many only have to mow their lawns once a month? It’s true. If that was the only great thing about this type of grass, it would be reason enough to plant it. But it gets even better.
This type of grass also grows very thick, choking out all weeds and other types of grass, leaving you with a pristine lawn that will make your neighbors “green” with envy.
It is also a hardy grass that grows very well in poor soil. It even stays green during long dry spells. It doesn’t require any fertilizers, weed killers, or any other chemical additives.
It is, quite possibly, the perfect grass.
The Zoysia Solution
The type of grass I’m referring to is Zoysia (pronounced: zoy-shuh). Zoysia is a type of grass that is indigenous to Asia, Australia, and some islands in the Pacific.
You’ve almost certainly seen Zoysia before in person, although you may not have realized it.
Zoysia is commonly planted on golf courses. Have you ever noticed how perfect golf courses always look? It isn’t because they spend a lot of time maintaining their lawns. It’s because they planted the right type of grass.
You can do the same!
Planting Zoysia
If Zoysia is so great, then why don’t more people have Zoysia lawns? It’s mainly because it requires a bit of work to plant this type of grass, and it doesn’t grow well from seed.
The best way to sow a Zoysia lawn is to purchase pre-grown plugs or sod. You can buy Zoysia grass seed, but it’s very difficult to establish a Zoysia lawn with this method. Plugs need to be planted 6” – 12” apart from each other all over your lawn. The grass will slowly spread over a period of two to three years until you have a beautiful, lush lawn.
Although there is an up-front cost to establishing a Zoysia lawn – both in terms of money and labor – once your lawn is established, it will save you a lot of time and money for many years to come. You won’t have to mow as often, and you won’t have to purchase a lot of expensive fertilizers, either.
If you use a lawn service to take care of your lawn, for example, you will only have to pay someone once every few weeks instead of every week. The savings really add up.
Zoysia Disadvantages
There are two downsides to Zoysia grass that you should be aware of.
First, Zoysia goes dormant during the winter and turns a golden shade of brown. Some people find the golden hue attractive, while others don’t. It’s a personal preference. Zoysia always springs back to life when the weather warms back up and quickly returns to a beautiful shade of green.
Another disadvantage involves the fact that Zoysia is a creeping grass. In other words, it very slowly but steadily grows outward, covering new ground and choking out all other grass and weeds as it does.
Lastly, Zoysia needs about one inch of water a week considering rainfall which isn't too bad if you're trying to conserve water to save money.
This could be a problem if you have neighbors with adjoining yards. Your neighbors might not be too happy if your Zoysia grass starts growing into their yards. Then again, they may love the idea of your low-maintenance grass taking over their lawns so they don’t have to mow as often.
You never know. People are weird.
Getting Started
Finding Zoysia sod or plugs is very easy. They are commonly available at many home improvement stores, landscaping centers, nurseries, and other places.
You can also order Zoysia plugs online and have them shipped to you. An internet search for “Zoysia grass” turns up many vendors.
Your Weekends Free – At Last
A Zoysia lawn isn’t completely maintenance free, but it’s about as close as you can get to having a perfect lawn with minimal work.
The sooner you plant Zoysia plugs or sod, the sooner your lawn can be the envy of everyone in your neighborhood – and you can once again enjoy your weekends.
